The Mockingjay Flop
What a disappointment! My first thought after reading Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins was 'What the heck? What was that about?' I can't believe this got published. If Collins couldn't come up with a decent conclusion to The Hunger Games trilogy then she should have taken more time to figure it out. I know many people haven't read the book yet so I don't want to write anymore except to say I would avoid this one at all cost even if you loved the first two. This book is just ridiculous. There's a lot of senseless death and the ending (aargh)....don't get me started on that. So much for curing my book slump, Mockingjay only made it worse.
I think I need an excellent classic novel now. Any recommendations?
Some Australian suggestions - If you can get hold of it Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey (writer from Western Australia is amazing). So good you do not want it to end. Or anything by Tim Winton should fix you up.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on Mockingjay. Horrendous disappointment.
ReplyDeleteTry a Booker prize winner or longlist-er. I hear Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet is good. I plan to read Sarah Water's A Little Stranger from last year's list. Oh, and you can't go wrong with Wilkie Collins, either, when it comes to exciting classics.:)
Oh dear, what a shame... a classic restoratative novel that you might enjoy if you have not already is Howard's End - E. M. Forster - I often pick that one up when i need to be reassured!
ReplyDeleteGreat Expectations, Rebecca, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights...each one reads well a second time, and I think they each have enough bite to take the sting out of a crappy read.
ReplyDelete@Jane - Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't heard of these authors.
ReplyDelete@fantaghiro23 - I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Mockingjay was a disappointment. Most of the reviews I've read have been positive. I enjoyed The Little Stranger and I've read most of Wilkie Collins' books. Great suggestions though.
@Hannah - I haven't read Howard's End but loved the movie. I'll check it out.
Oh dear :(
ReplyDeleteSpoilerish: I was not a fan of the way the ending was told rather than shown nor the epilogue but I was semi-satisfied with the resolution. I also preferred the arena settings of first two than Capitol setting (the Hunger Games were far better evoked than the battle/revolution). I enjoyed the book though and I think that the death was supposed to be senseless; war is senseless and the high casualty numbers.
I am sorry you did not enjoy this.
P.S. I've been craving Dickens and will be satisfying my need by rereading Great Expectations before moving onto something chunkier of his that I haven't yet read (most likely The Pickwick Papers).
ReplyDeleteOh how sucky! I'm probably the only person who hasn't read this series yet but I know how invested one gets in a series.
ReplyDeleteHmmh, for getting out of your reading slump . . I find that you can't go wrong with Sarah Waters or Wodehouse. Or how about a Maugham?
That's too bad that this was a disappointment. I'm currently reading Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried. I'm not too far into it yet, but I've liked what I've read.
ReplyDeleteFunny that everyone keeps mentioning Great Expectations. I'm totally in the mood for that.
ReplyDeleteAs for Mockingjay, I'm surprised that this volume has been so disappointing. I was told that it wasn't very good but still... after all that time spent on these characters. I haven't read it yet, and from the sounds of it, maybe I shouldn't.
That rots! I hate when that happens with a book - ugh! I have yet to read the series, although I just got my copy of Mockingjay in the post and was planning on starting The Hunger Games this weekend. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteAs for a book to get you out of your reading funk, I would suggest anything by Wodehouse, Jean Rhys or Kurt Vonnegut. Of course I tend to pick up a silly beach read to get me out of my reading ruts, so maybe one of those would help you. Hope the funk ends soon! Cheers!
Sorry you weren't a fan of Mockingjay. I can understand why you had issues with the ending.
ReplyDelete:( I am still deciding what I thought about the book as a whole, but the ending was rather disappointing for me as well. I feel as though the ending was chosen out of a popularity contest rather than for awesome story telling purposes. It wasn't very much of a resolution at all. I mean, what actually happened? There was no explanation as to the reason of why it happened. :< :<
ReplyDeleteDropping by. :) I haven't heard of the series until I started blogging again last month. so I'm one of those girls who haven't read it yet. a lot of fellow bloggers liked the series, that's why I though about reading it too. Let's see how I like it.
ReplyDeleteI hated it too! I'm glad to be in good company:-)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you've saved my waste of time. I loved The Hunger Games, thought the second novel rambled a bit, and bought Mockingjay but have only been able to read 10 pages. I'm not sure when the action starts, but not yet.
ReplyDeleteI love Dickens, too! But really any classic will be a remedy.
I will read this series when it is out in paper back
ReplyDeleteWow, I was disappointed in MOCKINGJAY, but not that much! LOL.
ReplyDeleteSorry to know that you didn't like 'Mockingjay', Mrs.B. Some of my other friends said that it is great, but I haven't read the first book of the series yet.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy your next book. Maybe you can try one of the books by your favourite Paul Auster :)
Amen. I totally agree!
ReplyDeleteThis book is probably the worst book that I've read this year, Mrs. B.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to recommend Eustace and Hilda by L.P. Hartley, if you can find it. It's published by NYRB.